One World Ends, Another Begins
by SilverDawn97
Summary: As the world we live in comes to a sudden end, and Equestria is driven to the brink of destruction by villains assumed to have been vanquished, four ponies are chosen to wield the mysterious Elements of Life, and defend this bright new world from the force that destroyed that destroyed their own.
1. Chapter 1

**One World Ends, Another Begins**

It could easily be argued that my life never truly began until that fateful day when I chose to leave. Up until that point, life had always been more of a game, or a diversion than anything else. I never truly took it seriously until the day I met her. She fundamentally changed who I was, and to this day I must thank her for showing me to the light. If she hadn't come to me in my darkest hour, I may not be sitting here today, telling you all my story. This is the story of how my life began again, on the day when the world came to an end.

Chapter One: The End of the World

My head throbbed as I opened my eyes. At first, all I could see was the ground, and my entire body ached in pain. I have no idea how long it took for me to simply roll over onto my back, and look up at the sky, but when I did, I noticed two things: The first was that it was the most beautiful and serene night I had ever laid my eyes upon. The second was that where there should have been my hands, there was instead a pair of snow-white hooves. You would have thought that I should have been more concerned about the latter, but at that moment in time, I was captivated by the bright, full moon above me. As my consciousness faded, the last thing I saw was a shadow fall over me, and a winged silhouette descend from the heavens above.

"Where did you find him?" I heard as I awoke again. I felt extremely tired, and felt that even if I did have the energy to open my eyes, that I would learn more about my predicament just by keeping them closed. "I found him in the Everfree Forest, laying at the feet of Nighmare Moon's statue. Do you think it could be some form of omen, sister?" "Even if it is an omen, we have larger concerns at the moment. I have been receiving letters from all over Equestria saying that millions of ponies have seem to just seemed to appear out of thin air. For now, we must try and focus on finding out why this is, and also make certain that there are enough homes for them to stay in. After all, we don't want anypony to be left out in the cold on this strange day." "You are probably right, sister. What should I do with this one, however? We are starting to run out of beds for them to stay in, and I think that due to the...Circumstances of this one's appearance, that he should stay somewhere where a close watch can be kept on him." "You're right, Luna. I will send a letter to Twilight immediately, to inform her of the situation. Hopefully she will know of a place for this colt to stay in until we have this situation under control." "Sister, are you sure it is wise to send this colt to Ponyville? What if his appearance is an omen of things to come?" "Luna, you worry too much. For now, we should just focus on ensuring the comfort of all these... New arrivals. Once they all have somewhere to stay, and a meal to fill their stomachs, we can worry about how they appeared in the first place." "...If you say so, sister. For now, I will return to searching for any of our new... Visitors that the others may have missed." "Be safe in your search sister. In the meantime... Dear Twilight Sparkle, I write to you seeking your assistance with a..." I stopped listening as I rolled these thoughts over in my head. I couldn't remember much from before awakening in the forest, but one thing did spring to my mind: A faint memory of the name Luna... In my exhaustion, I was only able to remember one thing about that name before I fell asleep: That name held significance to me, and should not, under any circumstances, be forgotten.

The sun was shining bright when I awoke the next morning. I opened my eyes to find myself in a comfortable bed, in a small room formed of clouds. There wasn't much else in the room, other than a small mirror, and a stool sitting in the corner opposite my bed. I felt strangely refreshed as I opened my eyes for what felt like the first time in a very long time. I rolled out of bed, and walked over to the mirror too make sure that I didn't look _too _dreadful to go outside. When I looked into the mirror and saw a young, white colt in his mid-teens with an azure mane staring back at me, I didn't know how to feel. It felt somewhat natural to look like this, but at the same time, I felt somehow...Displaced, like a flower plucked out of the wilderness, only to be suddenly placed in a garden. Just before, I could delve to deeply into these feelings, however, something in the mirror caught my eye. My jaw dropped just as quickly as my heart rose at the sight of what were on my back. _"Wings,"_ I thought, _"Real wings!"_. I turned and galloped out the door, without a single thought in my mind other than to take to the skies, and enjoy whatever wonderful world could have gifted me with true flight. I galloped out of my room, and quickly weaved through the house that contained it before reaching the door separating me from the world beyond. As I galloped out of the strange house made of clouds, I barely noticed the floating city around me, as the only thing that interested me was the open sky above me. Just as I began to flap my wings to take to the skies, however, a cerulean blur whizzed past me. "And just where do you think you're going?", I heard someone say. I skidded to a halt before replying with, "I'm going to fly wherever the wind takes me, and no one is going to stop me!". I immediately turned and fled, hoping to get enough momentum to take me into the skies, where I would be free. The blur passed me again before coming to a halt and revealing a young mare with a bright rainbow mane. "You can't just run out of my house and fly off into the sunset! Twilight asked me to give you a place to stay, so you aren't just going to waltz on out of Cloudsdale and leave _me_ to explain why you're gone!", she exclaimed. Hearing the word _Cloudsdale_ sparked something inside of me, and brought my speeding mind back down to a more reasonable pace. "I'm sorry," I said dejectedly, "I just don't know what came over me." "Come on," the mare said "Let's find somewhere to sit down and talk. I want to know why you went from unconscious to escapee in under ten seconds." She led me back towards her house before turning and saying "Oh, before I forget, the name's Rainbow Dash."

"So you're saying you don't remember _anything _before waking up in the Everfree Forest?" RD asked. "Nothing," I lied "I don't have even the slightest idea about what happened to me, or how I ended up here." I felt bad not telling her about when I heard Luna's name, but I had the nagging feeling that what I heard between Luna and this sister of hers was something that I should not have heard in the first place. "Man, I had no idea that something like this could happen, and so close to Hearth's Warming Eve, too!", RD replied. "What do you mean, "Something like this"? Did this happen to anypony else too?" "It's the strangest thing to happen for who knows how long! All of a sudden, millions of ponies just seem to appear out of nowhere, and no one has any idea why! It's lucky that we had extra food stored up for winter, or we might not even have been able to feed all of these new arrivals!" "What's this about Hearth's Warming Eve, either? Is it some sort of significant holiday or something?" I asked. "It's a yearly celebration of when the Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies all banded together to found the kingdom of Equestria. Last year, me and my friends performed in a pageant to commemorate the day, but I don't know if there will even _be_ a pageant after this. After all of these new ponies appeared, we had to start focusing on getting them all homes to stay in, and food to eat until Winter Wrap-Up can take place." "Hmm... I'm sorry about ruining your pageant, but I'm still curious about why and how all of this happened. Out of curiosity, what day is it specifically?" "It's okay about the pageant," RD assured me "It isn't your fault that all of this happened, it just happened at a bad time. As for what day it is... today is the 22nd of December, so all of this happened on the 21st. Other than the Winter Solstice, I can't think of anything major that happens on that day in particular." The moment Rainbow Dash said that the ponies appeared on the 21st, I felt my heart drop like a stone. I didn't know why at the time, but I felt a faint memory tugging at the corners of my mind, and a faint feeling of dread at the mere mention of that day. "Hey, are you okay? Did you remember something?", RD asked. "I don't know what it was, but I feel like something _extremely_ significant was supposed to happen on the 21st of December, but I just can't remember what it was. I get this nagging feeling though, that whatever happened that made all of us new ponies show up here was something that we knew about in advance, or at least something that we were afraid would happen." "Wait a minute..." RD interjected, "I don't know about you, but I never heard about anything significant that was supposed to happen _anywhere_ yesterday, and usually we members of the weather team are kept up to date on foreign events. But as for knowing that this might happen ahead of time, that might mean that something like this has happened before! I think that if you feel up to it, we should pay a visit to my friend Twilight in Ponyville. After all, if anyone knows about ancient history, it's definitely her and her dusty old books." "So, how do we get to Ponyville?", I queried. "We fly, of course!", RD exclaimed. "Just try to keep up!" We both ran out the door, and as soon as we had the open air above us, we leapt into the sky, and I tried to keep up with Rainbow Dash as she sped off into the distance. Flying for the first time felt incredible. The wind in my mane, the open air all around me; it felt like true freedom. I had a bit of difficulty getting used to this wonderful new experience, and occasionally RD would have to wait for me to catch up, or needed to give me some pointers on turning, gliding, maintaining altitude, etc., but as a whole, it was truly amazing. It felt like this was where I belonged, with the entire world laid out before me, just waiting for me to explore it. However, the price of freedom is steep, and the events that would follow that day would once again change me, just like that fateful day six months before...

It didn't take long for me and Rainbow Dash to reach Twilight's treehouse in Ponyville. I say _treehouse_ because her home was, quite literally, a tree that was hollowed out, and furnished to act as both a library and a home. I intended to knock before we entered, but RD beat me to the punch, and decided to just walk right on in. "Hey Twilight!", Rainbow Dash shouted, "I've got someone here who wants to meet you!" "Rainbow Dash, how many times do I have to tell you not to shout in my house?", I heard echo down from the second floor. "Most people prefer their libraries to be quiet. Anyways, what's this about someone wanting to meet me?". All of a sudden, there was a flash of light, and a purple mare with a mane of a darker shade of purple appeared at the top of the stairs. "Oh!" she exclaimed with a tone of surprise, "It's our friend the Princess asked us to keep an eye... Take care of!" I was more than a little bit suspicious at the way she cut herself off, but I decided not to inquire as to why. After all, everypony has their secrets. It just appears that some are better than others at concealing them. "Anyways...", RD intervened, "me and... wait what was your name again?" "I really don't know," I answered honestly, "I already told you I can't remember anything, so I thought that that would include my name." "Well, maybe we should think of a name for you, then!", Twilight said eagerly, jumping at the chance to change the subject. "First of all, let's take a look at your cutie mark. Your talent might give us a better idea of what to call you until you can remember for yourself." Some people might have been offended at somepony else offering to help them pick out a new name, but I felt perfectly fine with it. After all, there wasn't much point in avoiding it until I could remember my old name. Rainbow Dash, Twilight and I all turned to look at my flank to see what my cutie mark was, but we were surprised by what we saw. "But...But what does this even mean?", Twilight asked herself. "I thought that cutie marks reflected a pony's special talent! What talent could this _possibly_ be related to?" On my flank, right where there would normally be a cutie mark symbolizing my talent that only I could do, There was instead a strange image. Instead of an instrument, or a type of food, or something else that would tell me what my talent was that would get me through life happily, there was instead the image of a moon in the shape of a heart, with six white, angelic wings stretching out from behind it. "Well how are we supposed to figure out what your talent is with a cutie mark as vague as this?", Twilight asked, with a slight tone of annoyance in her voice. "Seraphic Moon.", I muttered under my breath. "My name is Seraphic Moon." "How are you so sure about that?", Rainbow Dash inquired. "I don't know, I just... I have the feeling that that's what my name is meant to be." "In that case, mind if I just call you Seraph?", RD asked jokingly. "Actually, I think that would be perfect, Dash.", I responded. "Wait a minute... I think I've seen that cutie mark somewhere before...", Twilight said to herself. "Hey Rainbow Dash, would you mind showing Seraph around Ponyville? I need to check something, and you two must be starving after the flight here." "No problem Twilight," RD said confidently, "Come on Seraph, maybe Pinkie Pie can set you up with one of her famous cupcakes."

As we walked to Sugarcube Corner, I took some time to fully absorb the quaint beauty of my surroundings. There were plenty of ponies milling around the roads, some of which I swore I had seen before. Just as we were nearly at Sugarcube Corner, however, I saw a unicorn who I was certain I knew. I saw her down by the river, painting a beautiful picture of both the river, and of Ponyville itself. She had a soft tan coat, with a curly brown mane ,and a cutie mark depicting a paintbrush over a blank canvas, with a musical note coming out of the end. At first, all I felt was a simple sense of nostalgia, but once she turned around and saw me, I fell to the ground with my head between my hooves, as I was bombarded with long forgotten memories. I saw flashes of paintings, and heard haunting melodies play themselves through my mind in an instant. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the face of a beautiful girl with curly brown hair, in her mid-teens. It wasn't until later that I understood the significance of this image, as the girl's face was not that of a pony. The girl I saw was a human.

As Twilight flipped through the pages of her book, she came across what she was looking for. Emblazoned on the page were four symbols: A moon in the shape of a heart, with six angelic wings sprouting from behind it, A paintbrush over a blank canvas, with a musical note emerging from the tip of the brush, An ice skate superimposed over a falling star, and most disturbingly of all, what looked like the cutie mark of Princess Luna herself. As twilight scanned the page, hoping to find something to prove her worries wrong, she came across an ominous line of text. "When a distant kingdom falls, and the bearers of these marks search for the truth, Equestria shall fall to the Lord of Darkness, The Bringer of Eternal Night, The Queen of Destruction, And the Bringer of Chaos.", Twilight read out loud. "This is terrible," she thought to herself, "I need to inform Princess Celestia of this immediately!" As Twilight ran to write her letter, and find Spike so he could send it, the book she had been reading fell to the floor, the cover flipping shut. Written upon the cover was the title: "Concerning the Elements of Life".


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: A Light in the Darkness

Luna had been asleep for a while, as she always slept while the sun was in the sky, when all of a sudden she heard something calling out to her, almost as if... "But that's ridiculous," She thought to herself, "Nopony else _ever _sleeps during the day..." And yet, there it was, the same beckoning call she always heard when one of her subjects was experiencing a dream. Normally, she would only visit the dreams of others if she felt a feeling of distress coming from them but this dream intrigued her... Who in their right mind would be sleeping during the day, when all of Equestria was up and about? She followed the dream back to its source, and into the mind of a young stallion she had seen only the day before... Once she entered the dream, Luna was immediately stunned by the location that she found herself in. "But... But how? Why here of all places?". The image that Luna saw filled her with a deep feeling of dread. There she was, back on the Moon, looking at the young stallion she had found in front of Nightmare Moon's statue only the night before. As she stood there stunned and trying to regain her wits, the stallion turned to face her, and began to deliver a message that chilled her to the core. "There is something you must know. Something that you will need to remember if Equestria is to survive the coming storm. Although you may doubt yourself, you are more important than you know. It was not your fault that Nightmare Moon possessed you. It was not your fault that you were banished here but two years ago. If you still harbor any feelings of inadequacy or shame, remember this: The only thing that can obscure true light _is_ light. Ponies take light for granted during the day because there is so much of it. But when night falls, and the horrors of the land stalk their prey, who is it that watches over us? It is not Celestia's bright sun that guides us when all seems dark, but the sweet light of the Moon. There is a storm coming, and no matter how hard anyone tries to stop it, your sisters light will fail us, and the harmony that fills Equestria shall be shattered, and may never truly return. When the land is covered in darkness and shadows, you must be the light to stand against the forces of darkness; you must be the one to help restore order. When the light fades as the sun passes over the horizon, it must be the light of the Moon that guides the world to safety. In order to do so, you will need to forgive yourself for your sins, and seek redemption in the hearts of those who love you for what you are. You must remember this Luna, for in the end, it will be you who must carry on the torch, and lead Equestria to a new future after darkness has fallen. Farewell, and may your heart remain ever pure..." Luna quickly sat upright as the dream faded. The sun was setting, and would soon need to be replaced by the rising of the Moon. She sat for a moment and pondered the message she had just been given, as the sun began to descend, covering the world in shadows...

I looked up at the ceiling as I awoke from my dream. I couldn't remember much before I blacked out, other than seeing someone I knew... My head began to throb with these thoughts, however, so I decided to distract myself by taking in my surroundings. It became apparent that Rainbow Dash had brought me back to Twilight's home after I lost consciousness. This became apparent due to the fact that I was in a guest bedroom filled with books, and the fact that Rainbow Dash was leaning against the opposite wall on a wooden stool, snoring loudly. "At least I know what woke me up." I chuckled to myself. From outside the window, I could tell it was late at night. I didn't feel anything wrong with me physically, so I decided that maybe some fresh air and a little less snoring might help clear my head. I found a bench to sit on just outside Twilight's treehouse. I sat there looking up at the Moon, thinking about what could possibly come next in this crazy new life of mine when I noticed someone had taken a seat beside me. "The Moon sure looks beautiful tonight." I said without looking at my new guest. "Wha...What are you doing out here so late? Everyone else is asleep, so why aren't you?" The voice sounded familiar, so I turned to look at the pony sitting beside me. She was a dark blue alicorn with a sparkling mane, and the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. "I just thought it might be nice to come out and take a look at the Moon. It feels like I've done it before, so I might as well keep on doing it until I can remember why." I answered. "I'm Seraph, by the way. Who might you be?" "Me? I'm... I'm no one of importance. I was just wondering why you were out here all alone." "You're right, I am alone. Physically, at least. I don't know why, but every time I look up at the Moon... I just get this feeling that someone is looking back down at me. I don't know who's presence it is that I feel, but as long as I can see the Moon... I never feel truly alone. I know it sounds crazy, but-" I cut myself off as I heard the mare start to cry. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Was it something I said?" The last thing I heard before she flew off was a small whisper. "Thank you," she said as she flew off into the night. After that I went back inside Twilight's home and went back to sleep. It was a bit tough with Dash snoring so loudly, but I somehow managed it. Just before I drifted to sleep, I remembered where I had heard the mare's voice before. "Luna..."

All was peaceful on the glacier that held what remained of the Crystal Empire. The ice had begun to slowly melt after King Sombra's defeat, but the city was still far from its former size. In a small ice cave a few miles to the north, however, an ancient evil was stirring, being released from its prison beneath the ice by a powerful creature. "Rise and shine, Sombra," the voice said evilly. "I have a favor to ask of you..." Lightning flashed outside as a dark mist began to rise out of the ground. "Chrysalis..." the voice said, full of malice. "You released me... Why?" "Because I need your help to get my revenge on that accursed Solar Empire. Do you still have the ability to bring around our other old friend?" "It will take some time to regain my full strength," Sombra said as he began to regain his physical form with the help of the Changeling Queens magic. "Even then, it will take something severe to make the seed of darkness sprout once more within her mind. It would take severe emotional shock, for the seed to sprout, such as the death of a close friend or family member... After that, she would be putty in our hands." "The death of a family member you say?" Chrysalis asked. "For that, we will need a distraction... perhaps we could... unleash a little chaos?" "That's a perfect idea. Come Chrysalis, darkness waits for nopony..."


End file.
